The Mt Airy Town Council held its last meeting of 2022 on Friday night. The meeting was held at the 11th hour for two important issues for the town. There were only two items on the agenda. The first item was to approve the operating budget for 2023, and the second item was to swear in the town’s new police.
The Town Council held a public hearing for the 2023 operating budget. No citizens spoke in favor of or in opposition to the spending plan during the hearing.
The operating budget for the Town of Mt. Airy will be $1,126,620. It is broken out into three parts. The General Fund will be $390,920, the Water Fund will be $389,700, and the GCIC Fund will be $346,000. The proposed 2023 budget was passed unanimously by the attending members. Council members Adam Tullis and Patrick Ledford were not in attendance.
Mayor Ray McAllister stated that this is a balanced budget for 2023, with revenues and expenditures equal to one another.
New police chief
A New Year brings in a new full-time police chief for the Town of Mt. Airy. Mayor McAllister swore in Jamie Bowden as their newest chief. He replaces former full-time, turned-interim chief Tim Jarrells, who recently took a position at the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office as an investigator.
After the swearing-in ceremony, Mayor McAllister said, “My understanding Jamie, you started your career here at Mt. Airy, and we’re hoping that you’re going to finish out here at Mt. Airy with us.” Chief Bowden replied, “That’s my goal.”
After a round of applause, Chief Bowden thanked his family, former bosses, and friends for their support.
“I am grateful for the opportunity that they have given me. Everybody seen something in me at times that I didn’t even see in myself. I appreciate it,” he said.
Chief Bowden has 20 years of experience in the law enforcement community. Over his career, he has worked for various departments in Habersham County. His first day on the job as police chief was January first.
